Air Tractor AT-301 accident near Alice, North Dakota, September 10, 1992
On September 10, 1992 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Air Tractor AT-301, registered N8823S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alice, North Dakota (Hahn Field). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AS A RESULT OF THE PARTIAL FAILURE OF FOUR PISTONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 1992 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Alice, North Dakota · Hahn Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Registration
- N8823S · registry record · serial 301-0198
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AGRICULTURAL PILOT WAS ON HIS SECOND FLIGHT OF THE DAY. JUST AFTER TAKEOFF HE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE AIRPLANE LANDED IN SOME SMALL TREES 50 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND NOSED-OVER INTO A CORN FIELD. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT FOUR OF THE CYLINDERS HAD LOST COMPRESSION, AND THAT THE PISTON RING LANDS OF THE FOUR PISTONS IN THESE CYLINDERS WERE DAMAGED, ALLOWING BLOW-BY.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,023 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 1992; 147 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 04ND at 11:30 pm
- Destination: 04ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,040 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from FAR, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N8823S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.